Warlord Vladimir Barbu has seized control of Transylvania, but his claim to the throne remains anything but certain. The king of Hungary opposes his rule, his people despise him, and the high priestess needed to crown him has vanished without a trace. Refusing to see his ambitions thwarted, he hires an assassin to hunt her down.… Killing is the only life Xavian Ramir knows. But now the elite assassin wants out, vowing to start anew after one last job.…

Knight Avenged: Circle of Seven, Book 2

Drawn by a destiny he won’t accept, elite assassin Henrik Lazar detests the mystical curse handed down by his mother. But when the sorcery in his blood is activated and past pain comes back to haunt him, his new abilities come into play and he must learn to control them. Rescued by Henrik in the heat of battle, Cosmina must decide whether to trust the assassin who loathes the goddess she serves or face certain death on her own.

Fury of Obsession

Dragon-warrior Venom lives in self-imposed isolation. Cursed by his toxic touch, he is deadly to anyone who has contact with him for too long. Set apart from others and hounded by intense loneliness, he craves the lasting connection he believes he cannot possess. Until a chance encounter with a sultry mortal offers a ray of hope...

Warrior's Revenge

Sometimes the only way to love - and redemption - is to make a deal with the devil. After the death of her parents, Lady Aurora de Marquise is left with no illusions. Stripped of her birthright and betrayed by her uncle, escape is her only option. With her life on the line, she narrowly avoids another murder attempt - only to run headlong into Lord Brigham de Mornay, a man most consider a monster. With her uncle's henchmen nipping at her heels, Aurora knows better than to trust a stranger - especially one as compelling as Brigham.

Fury of Desire: Dragonfury Series, Book 4

No warrior of the Nightfury pack is more complicated or damaged than Wick. Scarred from a childhood of slavery and torture, Wick cannot bear the touch of another person. But all bets are off when he meets J. J. Solares. When she is unjustly imprisoned, Wick agrees to help rescue and keep her from harm. But Wick lives a life of self-imposed isolation, and venturing into the world to seek justice for J. J. may be more than he can take.

Fury of Seduction: Dragonfury, Book 3

New to the Nightfury pack, dragon-shifter Mac cannot understand the bond between his brothers-in-arms and their human mates - until the moment he spies Tania and the energy bond between them blazes to life. Driven by a primal instinct, Mac will stop at nothing to find Tania, to keep her safe, to possess her. He has no time to waste: Ivar, leader of the rival Razorbacks, hunts her, hungry for a new high-energy pawn with which to destroy the human race. Caught between the warring factions, Tania finds herself immersed in a world she never knew existed - and bound by a love stronger than time.

Fury of Ice: Dragonfury, Book 2

Homicide detective Angela Keen thrives on the city’s rough streets. But when she becomes the prize of all prizes in the dragon-shifter world, due to her “high-energy” status, she gets more than she bargained for. Kidnapped by Lothair of the Razorback clan, Angela barely survives captivity before managing to escape. Hurt and alone with nowhere to hide, she faces certain death when Lothair uses the trace energy she leaves in her wake to hunt her down. But before he can reach her, a mystery dragon-shifter intervenes and saves Angela’s life.

Fury of Fire: Dragonfury, Book 1

A clandestine race of half-dragon, half-humans known as dragon-shifters lives among us. Bastian, leader of the Nightfury dragon clan, is sworn to protect humankind at all costs. For him, honor and duty always come first. When the clan dictates he take a human mate to sire a son, he falters, aware that for a human to birth a dragon-shifter she must die. Myst, the woman given into his care, is the most extraordinary he’s ever met, and though he can’t bear the thought of harming her, he is bound by duty.

A Sorceress of His Own: Gifted Ones, Book 1

Since the day Lord Dillon earned his spurs, rumors of his savagery on the battlefield have preceded him into every room, stilling tongues and sparking fear. Weary of battle, he wishes only to find a woman he can wed who will approach him not with fear but with the tenderness that has been absent from his life for so long. Yet only the wisewoman seems invariably at ease in his presence.

Dark Instincts: Phoenix Pack

It happens whenever wolf shifter Roni Axton is near Marcus Fuller: a crackle of sexual awareness that's intoxicating...and deeply annoying. Marcus is a pack enforcer who oozes power, but Roni is lethal in her own right - nothing like the flirty females who flock around him. Even still, his possessive gaze makes one thing clear. Marcus has singled her out for seduction, and he wants to make her sit up and beg.

Midnight's Kiss: Elder Races, Book 8

Ever since their scorching affair ended years ago, Julian, the Nightkind King, and Melisande, daughter of the Light Fae Queen, have tried to put the past behind them - and distance between them. But when a war breaks out between Julian and Justine, a powerful Vampyre of the Nightkind council, they find themselves thrown together under treacherous circumstances....

Soul Scorched: Dark Kings, Book 6

Born on the Isle of Skye, Darcy is a beautiful woman of many gifts. Fortune-telling is her forte, and she remains the only Druid who could unlock the secrets - and desires - of a dragon king. His name is Warrick. And now that Darcy's seen into his dragon heart, nothing will ever be the same.

Seven Years: Seven, Book 1

It's been seven years since Lexi Knight lost her brother in a tragic accident. On the anniversary of his death, her brother's best friend shows up unexpectedly - a man she hasn't seen since the funeral. He is no longer the boy Lexi once knew, but a dangerous-looking man with tattoos and dark secrets. He broke her trust and abandoned her family, yet what he reveals makes it impossible to stay angry. Lexi has been secretly infatuated with Austin since childhood, so finding out he's a Shifter just makes him sexier.

The Shadows: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood

Two brothers bound by more than blood discover a conspiracy that will change their destiny in the astonishing all-new novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the "frighteningly addictive" (Publishers Weekly) series by number-one New York Times best-selling author J. R. Ward.

Grim: Tornians Book 1

King Grim Vasteri is the strongest and most feared warrior in the Tornian Empire. He is the King of Luda, blood brother to the Emperor, and his line will die with him. He will have no offspring for no female would join with him for once he was scarred he was considered "unfit". The Tornian Empire has been dying ever since the great infection caused the birth of females to become a rarity. Since then they have been searching the known universes for compatible females.

Night Unbound: Immortal Guardians, Book 5

For centuries, Lisette d'Alençon has been a warrior against the dark. She fights alongside her brothers and comrades. But when the dreams start coming, she can't bear to confess them to the Immortal Guardians' command. She dreams of a dark-haired man with soft eyes and brutal wounds, a man her heart aches for-and a man she knows has been declared a traitor. Zach is an exile, a loner. He won't defend himself against false accusations or grovel to those who should have faith in him.

Darkness Rises: Immortal Guardians Series, Book 4

Krysta is used to getting the drop on vampires. Her "special abilities" aren't much, but the plan is simple - she plays helpless pretty young thing to lure them in. Then her shoto swords come out and it's bye-bye, bloodsucker. Until one night she finds herself with an unexpected ally. He's a vampire, all right, but different. Mysterious. Handsome. And more interested in saving her skin than draining it. Etienne has been an Immortal Guardian for two hundred years-long enough to know that Krysta is special.

Claimed

Emma Paulsen is a geneticist driven by science. But she's also a psychic, so when a dark, good-hearted vampire frees her from the clutches of the evil Kurjans, she realizes he must be the man who's been haunting her dreams. But with a virus threatening vampires' mates, Emma may discover a whole new meaning of "lovesick"....

Three Hours: Seven, Book 5

Naya James is a confident woman who also happens to be an exotic dancer. She doesn't care if people judge her, just so long as they don't disrespect her. Life has been good, but when two dancers from her club are kidnapped, Naya risks everything to uncover the truth.

Storm Warrior: The Grim Series, Book 1

As a child, Morgan Edwards marveled at the faery tales spun by her beloved grandmother, stories of the magical beings hidden in the heart of ancient Wales. But now Morgan is all grown up, a veterinarian who believes only in what science can prove - until the night a massive black dog saves her from a vicious attack. Suddenly a stranger stands before her, the man of her dreams made flesh and blood, not by science, but by a magic that could bring them their hearts’ desires...or cost them everything they have.

Carnal Secrets: The Phoenix Pack, Book 3

Half-shifter Shaya Critchley may hold a submissive role in her wolf pack, but the petite redhead refuses to let an Alpha male interfere in her life. Furious and humiliated after her mate refused to claim her, she runs off to hide among the humans. Why wait around for an Alpha male to love her when he’d obviously prefer to ignore her?

Night's Blaze: Dark Kings, Book 5

The Rhys who has existed for centuries is gone. Stripped of his ability to shift forms, Rhys can no longer embody the majestic, powerful dragon he was at birth. Cut off from his heritage by one of his own, this Dragon King must remain a man, haunted by demons who torment his every waking moment. The darkness would swallow him whole, except a woman so beautiful and haunted becomes the one beam of light in his world.

Shadow's Edge: Night Prowler, Book 1

Leander McLoughlin is leader of the Ikati, an ancient tribe of beautiful, savage shape-shifters who live hidden in the forests of England. Their survival is rooted in secrecy, a secrecy threatened by the very existence of one raised outside the tribe. Charged with capturing her before she can expose their secret, Leander tracks the unsuspecting outsider to Southern California. The great warrior is prepared for a fight — but not for the effect the courageous young beauty has on his heart.

Storm Warned: The Grim Series, Book 3

When Caris' unearthly musical talent attracts the attention of the Wild Hunt, the Welsh farm girl is stolen away to serve as a faery grim, a herald of death. Two centuries later she's finally escaped back to the human world - and into the present-day life of a reclusive and heartbroken American musician.

Hunted: Brides of the Kindred, Book 2

Sophia Waterhouse has always been afraid of needles and vampires, so there's no way she wants anything to do with a modern-day Count Dracula - even if he does come wrapped in the package of a huge Kindred warrior with blond hair and ice-blue eyes.

Publisher's Summary

Warlord Vladimir Barbu has seized control of Transylvania, but his claim to the throne remains anything but certain. The king of Hungary opposes his rule, his people despise him, and the high priestess needed to crown him has vanished without a trace. Refusing to see his ambitions thwarted, he hires an assassin to hunt her down.… Killing is the only life Xavian Ramir knows. But now the elite assassin wants out, vowing to start anew after one last job.…

High priestess Afina Lazar is running for her life, desperate to protect the magical amulet entrusted to her care. When Barbu’s hired killer finds her, she knows her only chance of stopping the warlord’s rise to power is to convince this enigmatic - and handsome - hunter that she is more valuable alive than dead. Together, they will undertake a dramatic adventure through a magical world where love and redemption come at a terrible price.

Let me first get the narration issue out the way - she was so slow it was painful but thankfully I could double speed her but, in my opinion, this choice of narrator has resulted in a lesser rating.

The actual plot was exciting and gripping set in a fictional world filled with with interesting characters, imaginary creatures, mysteries and magic. Coupled with this is the romance between Xavian and Afina which is touching as both of them need saving from themselves and, as they finally learn to trust in each other, their love grows to become an unbeatable force which will be needed for the forthcoming war between good v evil.

Worth a credit? Yes and I'm ready to spend the other 6 credits on the remaining books in the series but please Publishers/Audible try a different narrator and fellow listeners maybe listen to the sample first to judge for yourself.

The book was generally very good. However, the narration was unbearable. The narrator has a great voice and conveys emotion very well. The problem was in the speed of her speech. She read SO SLOWLY and put LONG pauses in every few words and at the end of each sentence. It really affected my ability to pay attention and follow the story. I had to force myself to continue listening to the book and seriously considered returning it several times. I won't listen to another book read by her.

I think this series has a lot of potential and I will probably get the next book in hard copy.

The monotone of the narrator's voice quickly drove me nuts, and the nasal quality of her tenor isn't one I find relaxing. She slurs some phrases, and I didn't catch some of the words spoken softly. Because I kept thinking about the voice, I had a very hard time focusing on the story itself.

Not familiar with the author, but interested in the plot synopsis, I read the reviews and decided to give this book a try. I am very glad I did.

Set in Transylvania in the early 14th century, the main character is a assassin who wants to retire to his home after one last job. The love story begins when he meets the women who is the target of his last assignment. Written with great emphasis on atmospheric detail, emotion and character development, this is not a romatic comedy, but two tortured souls looking for redemption.

Some found the narration slow, and I did at first, but after about an hour I began to appreciate the pace, accents and Ms. Crowley's great male character voices.

A great narrator and a fantastic storyline, the author and Ms. Crowley immerse you in the characters, the mystical places and the details that make you want to continue to listen -- you become engrossed in the storyline and the characters - I didn't want this to end. The only bad part is that I will have to wait forever for the next 6 books. I will start with her other series and hope she write fast.

A really great adventure that seems to be lacking in most romance books. Just enough romance to not over due the action and great plot! This is a must read for fantasy readersas well as romance readers. Will not disappoint at all.

Would you consider the audio edition of Knight Awakened to be better than the print version?

I guess the audio would be worth it, but the Narrator was painfully boring and monotone and made me feel that this genre of book isn't her cup of English tea.

Would you be willing to try another one of Suzan Crowley’s performances?

Absolutely not! maybe if it is old English romance.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I really can't think of it because I couldn't finish the book, she bored the enthusiasm out of me.

Any additional comments?

PLEASE, PLEASE change the Narrator for future Books in the Series. Narrators can make or break the popularity of books when they offer an uninspiring and lack - luster performance and the book may very well be a best seller in the making.

There was so much description preceding any action or dialogue that the book moved extremely slowly. I tried to listen to it for an hour but could go no further. I would recommend reading an excerpt from the book before deciding to buy the audiobook.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Vicki

Cambs, United Kingdom

4/13/13

Overall

"Knights Awakening"

Its was a truly excellent book. the story kept my interest from start to finish. In Fact I have since listened to it again.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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